Electronic equipment is often provided with heat exchangers for maintaining an acceptable operating temperature. In both space and earth based systems, heat pipes are prevalently used. The efficiency of the heat pipe depends upon the circulation of working fluid, which in turn depends upon the capillary action of finely cut grooves within the heat pipe. Typically, v-shaped grooves are formed in a heat pipe. However, capillary action would be increased if the groove profile approached a rectangular configuration. In a practical sense, the rectangular configuration is an ideal and the obtaining a trapezoidal configuration is more practical.
Such a configuration offers increased grooved wall surface area for enhancing capillary action. Accordingly, working fluid within a heat pipe is able to rise in a manner opposing gravity and therefore wet the grooves of a heat pipe to a greater extent than otherwise obtainable.